Recently, an electric stimulator for vagus nerves can now be used for treating epilepsy and hypochondria with FDA approval to the cervix. In addition, it was reported that the electric stimulator is effective for treatment of obesity in epileptics. According to the electric stimulating therapy for cervix of vagus nerves, the vagus nerves serve as transferring paths, which transfer arousal information of lower organs to the cerebrum. Since the vagus nerves are frequency dependent, a difference that induces synchronous waves and asynchronous waves in brain waves were discovered (see “Vagus Nerve Stimulation” by Steven C. Schachter and Clifford B. Saper: Epilepsia 39: 682, 1998).
Relating to the treatment by use of stimulation of the cervix of vagus nerves, it was reported in oriental medicine that obesity, pains and internal organ diseases could be treated by acupuncture to both ears. Since a theoretical basis of oriental medicine is based upon a therapy using energy and meridians, the ear acupuncture therapy overlooks a role of stimulus conduction via nerves. Therefore, oriental medicine does not present a fundamental method of accurate treatment.
A region (meridian) in which acupuncture is to be performed for treating obesity, pains and internal organ diseases in oriental medicine corresponds to a region in charge of conducting stimulus via the cervix of vagus nerves. Meanwhile, it was reported in western medicine that electric stimulation therapy using the cervix of vagus nerves to treat epilepsy or hypochondria has a remarkable effect in obesity treatment (see “Activation of the Satiety Center by Auricular Acupuncture Point Stimulation” by Asamoto S and Takeshige C: Brain Res Bull 29(2): 157-164, August 1992). Electric stimulators for applying electric stimulation to both ears have been proposed in Japan (1994 and 2001), in which the stimulators are to stimulate the region (meridian) known as an obesity treating point in oriental medicine. However, the stimulators are not utilized as an alpha-wave generating apparatus, which can obtain effects of psychological stability and treatment of various diseases by suppressing stress reaction of a human body. The reason why its object is different from each other is that the electric stimulating frequency and its intensity for generating alpha-waves are remarkably different from each other.
Recently, the electric stimulation therapy using the cervix of vagus nerves is performed by removing wanted skin to expose the cervix of vagus nerves, winding a coil around the cervix, and grafting a microchip therein. However, operation costs are very expensive, and the region must be again operated on every few years in order to replace the battery. In addition, a permanent scar is left due to the incision, and a patient's heart is at risk as a result of the operation. Furthermore, the patient is under a lot of mental stress due to operation.
Meanwhile, according to oriental medicine of performing acupuncture to the ear, although treatment effect for obesity, pains and internal organs diseases are substantially regarded as treatment effect due to stimulation of the vagus nerves, it places special stress on energy and meridians, thereby disregarding the effect of stimulation via nerves. Accordingly, since oriental medicine does not know acknowledge that the simulation conducting effect of the vagus nerves is differently derived depending upon the frequency by electrical synapse of the vagus nerves, effective treatment is not performed. In addition, a patient must go to hospital every day so that acupuncture may be performed. Since a chronic disease results from the reduction or blunting of regulation of vagus nerves, a patient's symptoms relapse when acupuncture is not performed. Therefore, a patient's life is encumbered, because of frequent visits to hospital throughout the patient's life (see “Dynamics of Obesity” by Sun-Hyen Shin; Clinical Obesity 2nd Edition, 27, 2001).
Recently, some methods for deriving alpha-waves have been proposed: one is to derive synchronization of brain waves of the central nervous system by radiating light and sound having a constant cycle to eyes and ears (for example, Mcsquare™); and the other is to derive synchronization of brain waves by directly radiating a magnetic field from the exterior of skull to the interior thereof (for example, Solomon™). Although stimulation is derived during a long period of time, the synchronization deriving effect can be obtained after only a short period of time. The above methods do not directly but indirectly derive the brain waves by indirect transmission of stimulation to the cerebral cell. The effect does not promptly happen; and the reaction does not continue when stimulation is extended. Accordingly, it is not suitable to treat various diseases having common cause due to stress or arousal reaction in the human body by such methods.